Working equitation and juniors tour – dressage in two facets

Today at the s.Oliver Vienna Masters, events got underway not only on the show-jumping course but also in the quadrangle. There were two dressage examinations to marvel at which could not have been more different from one another. One involved the Working Equitation stars from five different nations riding one-handed to interpret old European riding styles, whereas in the other, the juniors put on their first performance in the grand arena.

The s.Oliver Vienna Masters could not have started better for the reigning team world and team European, as well as reigning individual European champion in working equitation, Vasco Godinho. Dressage was on today’s programme ahead of the trail and speed trail events on Friday and Sunday respectively. The Portuguese and his expressive stallion Trigo received 70.8 points – the day’s highest score. Claire Moucadel of France clinched second place with 69.8 points – exactly one point behind the leader – with the Portuguese national team rider Nuno Avelar and Campo Pequeno finishing third with 68.4 points and completing the podium.

Riding Bogalho, the reigning Austrian and Viennese champion Martina Weteschnik of Vienna held the red-white-red flag high and took fifth place with 67.6 points. Sandra Migl, fulfilling her dual role at the s.Oliver Vienna Masters as an international judge and Austrian working equitation expert, said: “It is clear to see here how well our sport has developed in recent years. Amongst the top five riders there are riders from three nations, all of whom are operating on a very similar level. The rest of the world is catching up with the thus far dominant Portuguese, and our Austrian Amazon Martina Weteschnik is just three percentage points away from first place”. The trail will take place on Friday at around 15:45 and the speed trail on Sunday at approximately 18:00.

Next up it was fingers crossed for seven juniors from four nations in the first competition of the international junior tour. European championship competitor Nicola Louise Ahorner of Austria celebrated a crystal clear victory. She was awarded first place by all three judges with a score of 72.973% in the saddle of her European championship horse Robespierre (from Rohdiamant).

Gabriella Szucs of Hungary achieved second place with nine-year-old Hanoveran Dario (70.631%) followed by Sophie Kaltenbacher (GER), who rode Zeyden Gin to third place with a score of 70.541%. The two other Austrians in this examination – Lara Süss of Vienna on Donnerbube Junior (67.523%) and Valentina Strobl of Tyrol on Cypria F (63.423%) occupied places four and seven respectively.

What else is going on on Thursday?Today’s programme includes the opening examinations of the CSI2* Gold (1.40m), Silver (1.25m) and Bronze (1.15m) Tours, the first competition of the International Juniors Tour as well as Working Equitation.

Where the music festival is concerned, the motto is Austrian pop and Viennese songs – the highlight being a performance at around 20:30 by Hans Krankl aka Johann K., featuring Monti Beton.

There is plenty on offer for families too; beginning at 17:00 there is the big children-and-horses show with pony competitions, displays by mares and foals from the Spanish Riding School, working equitation leading-rein classes, liberty dressage and performance by the star pony Emil von Wiesenhof and his friends.